Hand Hygiene - Hand Sanitising

Thumbs are regularly missed by people when sanitising their hands, so make a conscious effort to clean these.

Step 7 - Rub tips of fingers in opposite palm in a circular motion

Step 8 - Rub each wrist with opposite hand

When should you Sanitise your hands?

 

The World Health Organizations "Five Moments for Hand Hygiene" defines when healthcare workers should perform hand hygiene.

Based on the WHO approach hand santising should be carried out:

• Before entering and leaving patient care environment e.g. ward/treatment rooms
  
• Before preparing or handling food
  
• Before and after dressing wounds, handling catheters and IV lines
  
• Before and after touching notes, telephones, computer ancilliaries i.e mouse, keyboard
  
• Prior to surgical procedures, after hand washing
  
• After body fluid exposure.
  
• After handling dirty laundry
  
• Before and after donning sterile gloves
  

• Ease and speed of use resulting in the rapid reduction in the numbers of micro-organisms present on the skin.
• When used frequently they can be less harmful to the skin than an equivalent number of hand washes.
  

Studies have shown that alcohol-based hand sanitisers can be less damaging to the skin than the normal washing process. The physical process of hand washing, even with mild soaps, can cause defatting of the skin compared to the lighter spreading action of alcohol-based hand sanitisers.

*Boyce et al 2000, Newman and Seitz 1990